For some Norwalkers, every day is a dog day

Published
7:00 pm EST, Thursday, February 5, 2009

NORWALK

By JILL BODACH

Hour Staff Writer

It may be their friendly demeanors or their eagerness to play almost any game that involves a Frisbee, ball or stick, but whatever the reason, Labrador retrievers are the most popular of man's best friends in Norwalk.

Of the 2,700 registered dogs in the city, 373 of them are purebred Labradors, and 421 are Labrador mixes.

Labradors, which also topped the American Kennel Club's list of the Most Popular Dogs of 2008, are often referred to as the classic American family dog, a title these energetic pups deserve, according to Sue Sullivan, a manager at Best Friends Pet Care, Inc.

"Labs really are great family dogs," Sullivan said. "They have lots of energy, so if the kids are running around, the Labrador is a dog that can keep up."

Labradors are also known for being easily trainable, particularly when food is used as an incentive.

"They are certainly trainable, but they tend to have the attention span of a 1-year-old," Sullivan said. "They aren't the brightest dogs, but they can be trained."

As popular as Labradors are, they are also frequently given up for adoption at local animal shelters.

"The reason is that they have a reputation of being a wonderful family dog with an excellent temperament, which any puppy who receives positive reinforcement in a loving home can be, but Labs are a very, very active breed, and they need a lot of exercise," said Adrienne Statfield, shelter director at Pet Animal Welfare Society. "People who purchase them as puppies don't always realize how much work they will be several years later when they still have that puppy energy."

The second most popular dog in Norwalk is the German shepherd. There are 185 shepherd or shepherd mixes in Norwalk.

"This is another very loyal family dog, sometimes over-the-top loyal, making it a difficult dog to board because they tend to have separation anxiety when they are away from their families," Sullivan said. "They are brilliant dogs and are often used as police dogs."

The third most popular dog is the golden retriever. There are 126 golden retriever/retriever mixes registered in the city. Like Labradors, golden retrievers are good family dogs but aren't as energetic as the Lab. They do require a fair amount of exercise, however.

The pit bull is another breed, much like the Labrador, which is stereotyped, although not in a positive way, Statfield said.

"Pit bulls are one of my favorite breeds because they are the underdog," Statfield said. "When you go into a municipal shelter, there are cages and cages of this misunderstood breed. Pit bulls were heroes during World War I. Petie from 'The Little Rascals' was a pit bull. The stereotypes are so harmful to the breed."

In general, large breeds tend to be more popular, Sullivan said, because they seem to fit in well with families.

"They are more active and more durable in the sense that young kids can hurt little dogs, and little dogs typically have less of a tolerance for having their tails pulled," she said.

The smaller breeds such as the Jack Russell, Chihuahua and pug represented a significantly smaller demographic: 56, 43, 43 and 40, respectively, but it may be a matter of licensing, Town Clerk Andrew Garfunkel said.

"A lot of people with smaller breeds don't register their dogs because they are primarily house dogs and don't think they need to license them," he said. "But the first time the dog gets out, you'll want that dog to have a license so you can locate him."

The number of dog licenses issued each year has increased in the past five years, said Garfunkel.

"We've really pushed the licensing so the number has gone up pretty significantly," he said.

Jill Bodach is a features and general assignment reporter. She may be reached at (203) 354-1046 or jbodach@thehour.com.